The Oglala light. [volume], February 01, 1916, Image 14

About The Oglala light. [volume] ([Pine Ridge, S.D.]) 190?-19??

Image provided by: South Dakota State Historical Society – State Archives

                
A Teacher's Problems
It is imperative that a teacher should not neglect his school pro
blems. Of these school problems the following are among the most
Important:
Study Your Pupils.—"Who are these pupils? "What have been
their opportunities? "What are they going to do? Why are they in
School? What are their limitations? What are their peculiar talents?
What are their motives? What do they want to do? No te cher can
succeed in meeting his school problems who does not come to know
these facts about the pupils. You cannot teach pupils whom you do
not know.
Plan Your Work.—Whether you have ten minute recitations,
or fifty minutes recitations, do you believe you can accomplish as
much without knowing what you are going to do in that ten or fifty
minutes as you can if you know what you are going to do? The
teacher who goes before his class without a definite plan as to what
he expects to accomplish in that ten minutes or in that fifty minutes,
is pretty sure to accomplish less than he should accomplish. We do
not build houses, or erect buildings or build railroads, or indeed
attempt any material task of consequence without plans and specifi
cations. Do not risk results by going into the class room without a
definite plan covering what you expect to accomplish by day, by
week, or by term.
7each Your Pupils.—Some teachers will waste time in nagging
the pupils because they do not know this or that which they should
know. Some teachers will be satisfied to hear recitations, to conduct
examinations. Some teachers will be satisfied in going through the
motions of teaching but the teacher who courts success will not be
too quick in blaming the child, will not be satisfied to hear recitations,
or to conduct examinations, or go through the motions, but this teacher
will see to it that every minute counts toward effective teaching. Ac
tual teaching is a fundamental problem of the school.
Expect Difficulties.—There will be some teachers who will lam
ent the fact that disturbances occur, who will worry over this or that
difficulty which has arisen. Such teachers need perspective. It is
quite as foolish for the teacher to expect to find no difficulties as it
would be for the physician to expect to find no serious cases. The
physician finds in the sertous case a challenge to the best that is in
him, and glories in his ability to solve it and do we not have a right
to expect the same of the teacher? If there were no difficulties invol
ved the physician would be without employment. If there were no
difficulties in teaching the child there would be no teachers need
ed. The physician expects it. Likewise the teacher will meet diffi
culties: he must stand ready for them, and his success will be deter-
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